Fire-escape.



E. J. JOHNSON.

FIRE ESCAPE.

(Application filed m 10, 1899.;

(No Model.)

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Patented Nov. 2|, I899.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFIcE.

ELESE JOSOPHINA JOHNSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

FIRE-ESCAPE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 637,339, dated November21, 1899. Application filed May 10, 1899. Serial No. 716,194. (Nomodel.)

- To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ELESE J OSOPHINA J OHN- soN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Fire-Escapes,of which the following is a full and complete specification, such aswill enable those skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same.

This invention relates to fire-escapes; and the object thereof is toprovide an improved device of this class which is simple in constructionand comparatively inexpensive and which may be suspended from a hooksecured to a window-frame or other support and by means of which a partymay quickly, easily, and safely descend from the window of a building.

The invention is fully disclosed in the following specification, ofwhich the accompanying drawing forms a part, said drawing being a frontelevation of my improved fire-escape, part of the construction being insection.

In the drawing forming part of this specification the separate parts ofmy improve ment are designatedby numerals of reference, and in thepractice of my invention I provide a rope 5, which is folded centrallyand formed into a loop or ring 6, which is preferably mounted on a metalring 7, provided with a peripheral groove, a shank 8, and a yokeshapedbottom portion 9, grooved in a manher similar to that of the ring 7, andthe rope 5 is secured to the shank of the ring 7-, as shown at 10; butthis part of the construction, however, may be varied as desired, allthat is necessary being to fold the rope centrally and provide a loop orring by which it may be suspended from a hook or other support. I alsoprovide a carriage or holder,which consists of two tubes 11, which aremounted on the separate side portions of the rope 5 and which areadapted to slide thereon and which may be composed of any desiredmaterial, and secured to the lower ends of the tubes 11 is a strongstrap 12, which forms a seat, and secured to'the upper portions of saidtubes is a strap 13, which is adapted to be buckled around the bodybeneath the arms.

Mounted on the separate sides of the rope 5, above the tubes 11, areshort sleeves let,

which are adapted to be grasped by the hands and which are composed ofrubber, soft leather, or any other suitable material and adapted to becompressed by the hands, so as to form a brake to regulate the downwardmovement of the carriage or support, and the sleeves 14 are connectedwith the tubes 11 by strong straps 15.

The operation will be readily understood from the foregoing descriptionwhen taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and the followingstatement thereof.

The device is suspended from a hook or other support secured to thewindow-frame, and the party desiring to escape from the building orother structure buckles the strap 13 around the body, beneath the arms,and grasps the sleeves 14, one in each hand, and sits upon the strap 12.By gripping the sleeves 14 firmly the carriage or support may be heldstationary on the rope 5 or the separate sides thereof; but by slightlyrelaxing the grip on said sleeves the carriageor support will descend,as will be readily understood. The rope or ropes 5 are also provided ata predetermined distance from the lower ends thereof, preferably aboutthree or four feet, with stops 16 to limit the downward movement of thecarriage and prevent the same from striking the ground, and these stopsmay be connected with the rope or ropes in any desired manner.

This device is simple in construction and operation and perfectlyadapted to accomplish the result for which it is intended, and it willbe apparent that changes in and modifications of the constructiondescribed may be made without departing from the spirit of my inventionor sacrificing its advantages.

Instead of employing a single rope and folding it in the middle, asherein shown and described, two separate ropes may be em ployed andconnected with a support consisting of a hook or ring, and the separatesides of the rope 5, as shown in the drawing, constitute, as will beunderstood, two separate ropes in effect.

Having fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent-- 1. The combination with the side ropes of afire-escape, of a carriage or holder mounted thereon and adapted toslide thereon, said carriage or holder consisting of two tubes, one ofwhich is mounted on each of the side ropes, a strap connected with theupper portions of said tubes and adapted to be buckled around the body,another strap connected with the lower ends of said tubes and adapted toserve as a seat, and compressible sleeves mounted on said side ropesabove said tubes and connected with said tubes and adapted to be graspedand compressed by the hands, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination with the side ropes of a fire-escape, of a carriageor holder mounted thereon and adapted to slide thereon, said carriage orholder consisting of two tubes,

one of which is mounted on each of the side ropes, a strap connectedwith the upper por- ELESE JOSOPIIINA JOHNSON.

Witnesses:

F. A. STEWART, V. M. VosLER.

